Ellis Appraisal District 2017 Annual Report

Ellis Appraisal District 2017 Annual Report

This is the sixth edition of the Ellis Appraisal District (EAD) Annual Report. The report includes information on the following areas that we believe are important to give you insight into the performance of your Appraisal District: Taxing Entities EAD Serves EAD Reappraisal Plan Comptroller s Property Value Study and Methods Assistance Program EAD Budget Growth Indicators Facilities Appeals, Arbitration and Litigation Appraisal Districts were created and governed by the Texas Property Tax Code. The Code was created in 1979 by legislation known as the Peveto Bill. Prior to the creation of appraisal districts all taxing entities had their own appraisal staff. Properties were often listed on different taxing entities rolls at dramatically different appraised values and assessment ratios were also applied with no uniformity between entities. The Peveto Bill created one appraisal district within each county to appraise properties for all taxing entities at 100% market value with fairness and equality and abolished assessment ratios. The plan was to create a level playing field where no one would be subject to paying taxes based on more or less than their fair share. Ellis Appraisal District is here to serve you through discovering, listing and appraising your property fairly and uniformly. The Appraisal District is not a taxing entity and does not set tax rates or collect taxes. The Appraisal District team has many responsibilities and we must be good stewards. We know that we are here to serve you, the property owners of Ellis County, and we are committed to performing our work with courtesy, professionalism and excellence. Our hope is that through this report you will find that you are well served and gain a better understanding into the challenges and successes of your Ellis Appraisal District. Kathy Rodrigue, RPA Chief Appraiser 1

Taxing Entities Serve by the Ellis Appraisal District EAD is an Appraisal District formed by the Texas Legislature in 1979 and is charged with the appraisal of all taxable property within Ellis County. There are 42 taxing entities partially or totally within the District's boundaries. Currently these taxing entities are as follows: Ellis County Ellis County Lateral Road Cities City of Alma City of Bardwell City of Cedar Hill City of Ennis City of Ferris City of Garrett City of Glenn Heights City of Grand Prairie City of Italy City of Mansfield City of Maypearl City of Midlothian City of Milford City of Oak Leaf City of Ovilla City of Palmer City of Pecan Hill City of Red Oak City of Venus City of Waxahachie School Districts Avalon lsd Ennis lsd Ferris lsd Frost lsd Italy lsd Maypearl lsd Midlothian lsd Milford lsd Palmer lsd Red Oak lsd Waxahachie lsd Special Districts Ellis County Emergency Service District #1 Ellis County Emergency Service District #2 Ellis County Emergency Service District #3 Ellis County Emergency Service District #4 Ellis County Emergency Service District #5 Ellis County Emergency Service District #6 Ellis County Emergency Service District #7 Ellis County Emergency Service District #8 Ellis County Emergency Service District #9 Ellis County Fresh Water Supply District #1 EAD as a Resource Communication: We believe it is very important to keep the EAD Taxing Entities informed with timely delivery of a complete and accurate certified appraisal roll, weekly reports of changes, budget, reappraisal plan and audit reports and all other information that relates to EAD s service to them. Compliance and Performance: We are pleased to file all reports related to property values and exemptions that are required by the Comptroller s Office for the Taxing Entities. We are also proud to have performed well in the State Property Value Study and the Methods Assistance Program Audit. Sharing Technology: We are pleased through our contract with Pictometry to share digital ortho and oblique images and software with our Taxing Entities. This unique relationship provides for one purchase to benefit all those who pay into the EAD budget. These images can be used in many ways, such as planning, development, emergency management, etc. 2

Ellis Appraisal District Reappraisal Plan The Board of Directors establishes a reappraisal plan in compliance with Section 6.05 of the Texas Property Tax Code. This plan is reviewed and adopted biennially to inform the public and taxing entities of the needs and progress of the appraisal process. EAD is an Appraisal District formed by the Texas Legislature in 1979 and is charged with the appraisal of all taxable property within Ellis County. There are various taxing entities partially or totally within the District s boundaries. These entities are as follows: Entities 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 County/FM Road 2 2 2 2 2 Schools 11 11 11 11 11 Cities 20 20 19 19 19 Special Districts 10 10 10 10 9 EAD currently conducts reappraisal on a three-year rotation. While all property values are updated annually to reflect market values, one-third of the district is re-inspected every year. The re-inspection consists mainly of the use of Pictometry images and the geographic information system, augmented by the physical inspection of properties. The account breakdown is based on their location within an ISD. ISD's: 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 Avalon 765 790 Ennis 14,023 Ferris 5,590 5,752 Frost 71 73 Italy 1,941 1,990 Maypearl 2,755 2,846 Midlothian 18,334 18,848 Milford 944 975 Palmer 3,205 3,280 Red Oak 11,801 Waxahachie 20,148 20,149 Account Breakdown: Single Family Residential 20,446 15,087 17,093 19,154 15,560 Multi Family Residential 330 138 370 324 128 Vacant Lots/Acreage 4,403 5,296 5,239 5,894 5,587 Comm/Indust Real & BPP 2,745 1,502 2,280 2,664 1,515 Utilities/Minerals 200 1,784 224 235 1,708 Exempt Property 819 1,005 618 910 1,024 Total Accounts 28,943 24,812 25,824 29,181 25,522 For additional details please view the current Reappraisal Plan on the appraisal district website at www.elliscad.com. 3

Performance in Comptroller s Property Value Study and Methods Assistance Program 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 Property Value Study Yes/No No Yes No Yes No CAD Performance Measures Median Level of Appraisal n/a 0.99 n/a 0.97 n/a Coefficient of Dispersion n/a 6.12 n/a 7.70 n/a Price Related Differential n/a 1.00 n/a 0.98 n/a ISD's with Local Value Assignments n/a 11 n/a 11 n/a (preliminary) Avalon 36,619,680 36,627,860 35,917,625 35,963,087 35,305,971 Ennis 1,929,963,723 1,863,144,264 1,782,827,606 1,735,239,706 1,745,407,272 Ferris 336,492,853 302,374,967 289,489,468 295,770,299 239,320,008 Frost 2,340,678 2,547,979 2,278,634 2,236,337 2,010,641 Italy 111,831,029 107,297,898 95,433,011 98,257,036 95,511,169 Maypearl 311,052,304 287,593,029 270,502,458 268,586,521 267,896,212 Midlothian 3,829,478,048 3,466,925,920 3,169,190,157 2,932,682,011 2,729,856,688 Milford 50,800,202 51,017,578 50,675,097 53,998,935 52,932,979 Palmer 253,052,430 230,928,626 217,688,340 216,521,284 211,895,903 Red Oak 1,641,323,173 1,490,766,885 1,423,948,006 1,377,713,053 1,202,742,672 Waxahachie 3,636,766,486 3,318,576,781 3,071,158,583 2,938,539,323 2,777,589,925 12,139,720,606 11,175,914,367 10,409,108,985 9,955,507,592 9,360,469,440 Method Assistance Program 2017 2015 Mandatory Requirements PASS/FAIL PASS/FAIL 1. Does the appraisal district have up-to-date appraisal maps? PASS PASS 2. Is the implementation of the appraisal district's most recent reappraisal plan current? PASS PASS 3. Are the appraisal district's appraisal records up-to-date and is the appraisal district following PASS PASS established procedures and practices in the valuation of property? 4. Are values reproducible using the appraisal district's written procedures and appraisal records? PASS PASS Appraisal District Activities RATING RATING Governance MEETS ALL MEETS ALL Taxpayer Assistance MEETS ALL MEETS ALL Operating Procedures MEETS ALL MEETS ALL Appraisal Standards, Procedures and Methodology MEETS ALL MEETS ALL Appraisal District Ratings: Meets All The total point score is 100. Meets - The total point score ranges from 90 to less than 100. Needs Some Improvement The total point score ranges from 85 to less than 90. Needs Significant Improvement - The total point score ranges from 75 to less than 85. Unsatisfactory - The total point score is less than 75. We are proud to continue our high ratings as EAD earned these same achievements in the 2011, 2013 and 2015 MAP Reviews. 4

Ellis Appraisal District Budget Each year the chief appraiser prepares and presents to the Board of Directors and Taxing Entities information in compliance with Section 6.06 of the Texas Property Tax Code. The process of publication and adoption of the budget is mandated by law. The Chief Appraiser prepares the proposed budget and schedules a workshop for the budget committee appointed by the Chairperson. The proposed budget is then presented to the full Board for review. By June 15 th, the proposed budget is submitted to all taxing entities participating in the District. The Board shall hold a public hearing, make any changes to the proposed budget and approve the budget before September 15th. Presented are the 2017 and prior four year s budgets with value and entity levy information: 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 Ellis Appraisal District Budget $2,340,231.51 $2,189,596.48 $2,150,471.23 $2,020,324.17 $1,989,165.61 Number of Parcels 83,111 81,262 80,103 79,094 78,439 Residential 48,124 46,668 45,543 44,591 44,399 Commercial/Industrial 6,201 6,085 5,984 5,857 5,778 Farm/Ranch 15,377 14,997 15,053 14,603 13,989 Oil & Gas 1,012 1,257 1,490 1,450 1,093 Utilities 668 666 660 676 690 Exempt Properties 2,612 2,504 2,310 2,336 2,259 Other 9,117 9,085 9,063 9,581 10,231 $/Parcel $28.16 $26.94 $26.85 $25.54 $25.36 Staff Positions 25 24 24 24 24 Professional Designations 6 7 9 9 9 Ellis County Market Value 17,591,197,082 16,195,477,490 15,194,825,434 14,038,683,914 13,387,235,390 Ellis County Taxable Value 14,040,948,509 12,972,185,399 12,028,867,796 11,135,359,902 10,680,338,099 New Market Value 429,775,900 424,284,278 398,100,727 370,006,560 232,798,012 New Taxable Value 399,092,099 399,322,427 272,774,053 249,744,603 213,873,077 Levy Information County $54,217,319.00 $52,709,593.53 $49,091,545.23 $45,505,027.09 $43,707,321.79 ISD $190,560,821.80 $175,920,528.12 $165,726,935.95 $153,338,356.33 $144,963,499.69 City $66,141,490.32 $60,864,946.97 $55,652,459.67 $51,278,498.80 $48,308,921.42 Special Districts $3,448,159.44 $3,198,653.96 $2,894,820.55 $2,185,939.39 $2,065,013.85 Total $314,367,790.56 $292,693,722.58 $273,365,761.41 $252,307,821.62 $239,044,756.75 Percentage of Budget/Levy 0.74% 0.75% 0.79% 0.80% 0.83% Levy Increase Over Prior Year 7.41% 7.07% 8.35% 5.55% 2.72% The costs of District operations are shared by the various taxing entities participating in the District. Each taxing entity s allocation is based on its tax levy relative to the total tax levy of all the participating taxing entities. The District s budget is currently less than 1% of the entity s levy. The Board may use excess funds to build reserves for litigation or appropriately approved capital expenditures. 5

Growth Indicators Ellis County is geographically located in the southern part of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and is poised for growth with four major transportation corridors. As the economy grows, so will Ellis County. Below are some statistics that indicate growth in the following areas: GROWTH INDICATORS 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 Deed Transactions 9,860 8,397 9,299 7,815 6,958 Property ID's Transferred 10,462 9,380 10,126 9,099 Instruments (2015 Volumes/Instuments) 36,979 35,380 28/20,696 70 Vol 72 Vol CC changed #s- An Inst can have 1+ pg Subdivisions or Replats 140 105 122 126 102 Residential Inventory 3,090 2,899 2,730 2,891 2,990 Personal Property Accounts 3,692 3,591 3,518 3,414 3,355 Building Permits 4,115 3,299 3,093 2,452 2,050 Residential 3,237 2,865 2,650 2,074 1,667 Commercial/Industrial 300 325 330 286 279 Other 578 109 113 92 104 Confirmed Sales 3,688 3,316 2,944 2,305 2,298 Market Transactions 3,497 3,130 2,787 2,149 2,042 Sales Confirmation (% of Deed Transactions) 37.40% 39.49% 31.66% 29.49% 33.03% New Improvement Market Value 429,775,930 424,284,278 398,100,727 370,006,560 232,798,012 Single Family Residential 367,022,140 284,455,420 224,199,171 170,894,280 121,463,100 Multifamily Residential 1,251,080 1,431,050 311,150 1,702,930 9,353,300 Commercial/Industrial/Pipeline 48,107,300 119,296,198 52,748,547 122,889,400 83,760,402 Exempt 13,395,410 19,101,610 120,841,859 74,519,950 18,221,210 Special Appraisal Ag App Approved 532 622 645 627 511 Ag App Denied 64 63 56 63 51 Ag Rollback 306 144 136 80 70 Partial Exemptions Homestead 36,319 34,809 34,758 34,212 33,657 Over 65 11,577 11,083 10,643 10,286 9,742 Disabled 1,414 1,346 1,320 1,282 1,245 Total Veterans 533 437 357 303 253 Partial Veterans 1,358 1,231 1,204 1,156 1,118 Death Certificate Review 973 907 810 720 768 Address Changes 3,029 2,403 2,038 2,593 2,158 6

Facilities On August 26, 1994 the Board of Directors purchased the property at 400 Ferris Avenue for $400,000. This purchase included an office originally constructed in 1964 that had a total of 8,799 square feet on 1.139 acres. At the time of the purchase, 3,254 square feet of the building was leased and the rent covered the cost of the note until the tenant moved out January 2003. In March 2003, the Board of Directors approved the $39,012.07 payoff of the note. The purchased EAD facilities cost the property owners and taxing entities of Ellis County less than $40,000. In 2006, after a thorough study of the anticipated growth needs of the appraisal district, the Board of Directors in compliance with Section 6.051 of the Texas Property Tax Cade, gained approval from the taxing entities to finance an expansion and renovation of the property. Construction was completed in 2009 and financed by a 25 year note for $974,873.10. In 2012, the Board of Directors authorized the payoff of the note. The current facility is a highly modernized, energy efficient professional office that should meet the needs of the appraisal district for the next 20 years. Annual Utility Usage Summary Report Listed below is an annual summary of our utility usage and expense. For a detailed monthly review prepared in compliance with Section 2265.001(b) of the Texas Government Code, please visit our website at www.elliscad.com. Utility Use Electricity Natural Gas Water Irrigation Total Year KWk Cost ccf Cost 100cf Cost 100cf Cost Cost 2017 144,120 $18,963.46 824 $1,155.81 44,100 $687.99 241,900 $1,426.65 $22,233.91 2016 151,980 $14,389.14 836 $1,002.03 38,600 $636.65 334,600 $1,879.41 $17,907.23 2015 158,400 $15,021.73 1,473 $1,440.20 76,500 $912.62 256,100 $1,446.23 $18,820.78 2014 161,700 $16,956.11 1,997 $1,837.62 *103,700 $675.28 258,500 $1,361.46 $20,830.47 2013 165,720 $18,864.02 222 $1,028.31 34,800 $545.00 288,100 $1,468.81 $21,906.14 * Water Leak (City Leakage Abatement) 7

Excellence In Service One of the biggest challenges any Appraisal District faces is the discovery and accurate listing of property. Most CADs physically inspect all properties in their district in accordance with their reappraisal plan and in some cases, the work load exceeds manpower. Ellis Appraisal District is a leader in using technology to comply with the International Association of Assessing Officers standards. In the EAD reappraisal plan, all accessible new construction is scheduled for physical inspection in the year of construction and all other properties are first inspected using Images. Any accounts where Images are not sufficient to accurately list changes are coordinated with new construction to efficiently cover all physical inspections at once in a geographic area. We also were the first Appraisal District in Texas to use Change Detection software to discover changes from the previous year that might have otherwise been overlooked, thus avoiding omitted property assessments that are very difficult to receive and administer. With the growth in Ellis County, we are proud that the changes to our budget for the appraisal staff have been modest. 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 CHANGE Appraisers 11 11 11 10 10 2.00% [Budget] (Actual) 10 9 8 9 9 2.22% App Support 2 1 1 1 1 20.00% App Staff Budget $764,392 $721,477 $706,800 $618,186 $592,228 5.81% Parcels 83,111 81,262 80,103 79,094 78,439 1.19% Par/App 7,556 7,387 7,282 7,909 7,844-0.74% [Budget] (Actual) 8,311 9,029 10,013 8,788 8,715-0.93% Protests 9,473 6,301 5,375 5,385 4,106 26.14% We are very proud of the improved accuracy and the cost savings that we have pioneered for those we serve. We will continue to pursue the use of technology to improve the quality and efficiency of the work we do and look forward to seeking additional savings as well. 8

Appeals, Arbitration and Litigation The appraisal district sends out appraisal notices each year based on changes in ownership, value and the reappraisal plan. Property owners have a right to appeal information on their notices. Most appeals are filed because a property owner believes their value is over market value or appraised unequally compared with other like properties appropriately adjusted. Below are statistics related to this appeals process: 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 Appeals Season Settled With Staff 7,498 5,227 4,656 4,727 3,550 ARB Hearing 591 401 248 205 173 ARB -Owner Did Not Show 1,384 673 471 453 383 ARB Adjusted 239 132 101 101 61 ARB Sustained CAD 352 269 138 104 112 Property Type Single Family Residential 6,599 3,860 2,934 2,806 1,555 Multi Family Residential 440 149 114 187 163 Land 1,069 887 960 1,086 1,024 Commercial/Industrial 1,107 956 951 883 835 Utilities/Oil & Gas 258 449 416 423 463 Total Appeals 9,473 6,301 5,375 5,385 4,106 Notice Value 6,211,137,687 4,162,103,666 4,412,214,773 3,913,369,598 3,335,928,659 Adjusted Value 5,677,302,080 4,021,730,424 4,115,872,337 3,784,089,467 3,142,103,350 Difference -533,835,607-140,373,242-296,342,436-129,280,131-193,825,309 Percent Change 0 0 0 0 0 Request for Arbitration Filed 4 1 4 1 1 Lawsuits Filed 13 11 12 8 8 9

Our goal is to serve others the way we would like to be served and in keeping with the statement below, courtesy and efficiency are the main requirements of this office. A PROPERTY OWNER Is not dependent on us - We are dependent on them. Is not an interruption of our work -They are the purpose of it. Is not an outsider to our business - They are a part of it. Is doing us a favor by letting us - Serve their needs. A PROPERTY OWNER is the most important person in the world to us. Courtesy and Efficiency are the main requirements of this office. It is our hope that the Ellis Appraisal District Annual Report has revealed the stewardship the Board of Directors, Chief Appraiser and Staff exercise in the service of all Ellis County Property Owners and Taxing Entities. We are here to serve you and look forward to continued service with excellence. 10